


Once I was...

by Revellie_92



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Naruto
Genre: Angst, F/M, First Love, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Idiots in Love, Multi, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24672907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revellie_92/pseuds/Revellie_92
Summary: "To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world." - Dr. SeussGrowing up together means we get to be together forever...right..?
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Dumpster Diving

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in here or the plot. The situation is my idea or something like that….

The couds were rumbling as they slowly crawled across the afternoon sky. The rainy season was about to begin in the Konohagakure Village.

Ninja and civilian alike began to look for shelter.

In the slums of the village where the buildings still held the scars of the Kyuubi Attack, down in an abandoned alleyway, a little boy silently cried.

Surrounded by the ghosts of the deserted district, the boy could only wince in pain as his stomach growled for food. He looked to be no more than seven and yet was all alone.

Those few who spotted him sneered and looked away in disgust. They despised him for reasons that he could not understand.

He continued to cry as the clouds began to release the mighty storm of Konohagakure's rainy season.

...

...

~~**_I'm just so hungry..._ ** ~~

**_..._ **

Whimpering, the boy tightened his arms around himself.

* * *

A raven haired girl ran with her hands trying and failing to shelter her head from the rain.

_Why doesn't my rain coat have a hoodie?_

Who ever designed the coat was definitely looking at fashion and not for use. It's their fault that she forgot her umbrella by the door...

Trying to make it home _somewhat_ dry, Kagome nearly missed a little blonde head of hair sticking out of a tipped over dumpster.

_Huh?_

She quickly back tracked and cautiously glanced into the dark corridor and cautiously approached the trash bin. What she saw made her momentarily forget about the rain.

There, behind the rubble, sat a skinny boy about her age. Kagome saw how he was hugging himself and decided that she had to help. She threw caution to the wind and went straight towards him.

When she stood in front of him, the boy noticed her and quickly made eye contact with her. He narrowed his gaze at her as she squat down to his level and tried to touch him on the shoulder.

He flinched away, growling in warning, “What do you want?”

Kagome brought her hand back to her chest and clenched her hand. She moved her gaze from his face to his wet clothes. All he had on was a simple shirt full of holes and shorts that had seen better days. Kagome was lucky her mom knew the weather was going to be bad and so all she had to worry about is her wet hair...this boy on the other hand...

“You look cold," she took off her coat and put it over his head. “Here. Better?”

The boy blinked from under the coat and grabbed the girlish jacket from his head to look at her.

As they made eye contact again, they both noticed that they had the same color eyes. Both were blue as the summer sky, heavy with a great sadness that they should never have known for their age. Kagome was the first to break eye contact. Looking at his bare feet, she tried to think of something to say to him.

Nothing good came to mind at the moment so she decided to just smile at him.

He still was suspicious of her and Kagome could not help notice that his attitude reminder her of her baby brother when he was in a fit. Souta would always be grumpy until she or her mom would pick him up.

_Maybe he is the same as Souta?_

She plopped herself down next to him in his shelter. Her pants getting soaked from the water on the edge of the bin. Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of wet clothes, she spread her arms open and jestered to him to give her a hug.

At first he seemed confused and did not know what she was doing.

"I just want to give you a hug silly. Sometimes...everyone needs one," she paused, her head tilted to the side as her arms slowly began to burn, "and maybe you can tell me what is wrong?"

This surprised him. The kindness, the gestures, everything new and then this? She wanted to hug him?

He wanted to run.

Run before she turned on him like everyone else, run before she cursed at him!

“My arms hurt, come here!” Kagome wiggled her fingers to try and make him to hurry up.

_How could he say no to a hug?_

The boy began to cry as he threw himself into her arms.

When would be the next time he could feel another's touch again? How long until she abandons him? He needed to savor the moment as much as he could.

Sobs the likes of which Kagome only ever heard during the anniversary of the Kyuubi Attack shook his fragile frame.

Kagome did not comment or make fun of him. She just hummed as she began to rock him back and forth, rubbing circles on his back. Her mom did that to her when she cried, so she did it to him.

As his crying turned into hiccups she said, "I can't do a lot but I will be here for you if you want me to okay?"

He calmed down enough to slowly begin to breathe somewhat normal again. Small whimpers still escaped him and he rubbed his face into her shoulder one last time before he pulled away.

_He missed her hug already…_

"Okay,” he hesitated, “my name…my name is Naruto."

"Mine is Kagome!"

As the rain began to disappear and the last remaining rays of the evening sun peaked through the clouds, Naruto could not help but zoom into her _real_ _honest_ smile.

_Naruto never felt so happy._


	2. Taught What Love Looked Like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To think...how things change in 3 years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in here or the plot. The situation is my idea or something like that….

  
Kagome raced to her house. She was just so furious! How dare he! How dare he say she had it easy! It was official.

**_Kagome Inuzuka had no friends!_ **

“Mom! Tell Naruto that I'm working just as hard as he is at school!” Kagome yelled as she slammed her door open and ran to the kitchen looking for her mother.

Naruto came rushing behind her and almost lost his footing at the entrance trying to take his sandals off. Just because he had a point to prove did not mean he had a death wish. Mama Inuzuka was not someone to mess with, even if she was a civilian.

“Being a Ninja is SO much harder than sitting in class all day! We have to do all crazy exercises and control chakra! It's facts! Believe it!”

Kagome had reached her limit. She had to deal with the other clan kids picking on her for deciding not to be a Ninja, but now her ex-best friend too?

**_He's dead meat!!_ **

Kagome turned around from the kitchen entrance and launched herself at Naruto. The poor boy was still sitting on the entrance ledge when he saw his doom in the form of a 10 year old girl.

At the various yells and loud thumps coming from her home's entry way, Miko paused making dinner and sighed.

Oh how her previous husband would blow a fuse seeing his precious baby girl rough housing with a boy.

Not that he wouldn’t be proud of her but Miko knew he had always planned to spoil their daughter rotten. He had it in his mind that his baby girl would want for nothing and would never have to lift a finger. _Oh if only he knew about Naruto._

“Whoa whoa whoa! I thought I was coming home not entering the ninken compound!”

Miko smiled as she leaned over the stove to turn off the burners. Sounds like Gaku just got home.

“Die!” was Kagome's battle cry.

“Kagome let go of Naruto's neck!” Gaku had no idea she had this kind of strength. _She can definitely handle any rowdy ninken!_

“You are lucky I don’t use my Ninja skills on you!” Naruto tried to intimidate but everyone knew he was carrying that Dead Last title with poise.

“Naruto watch where you are kicking! I’m trying to help you!”

Kasshoku huffed a laugh through his snout as he saw Gaku fall after a misplaced kick from Naruto folded the back of Gaku's knee. He left his human partner to tame the pups while he strolled into the kitchen looking for dinner. Miko noticed the ninken and made sure to keep an eye on him. Kasshoku was known to steal Gaku's food if no one was watching him. Kasshoku claimed that it was to teach Gaku a lesson on who was really the _Alpha_ in the home and that _Alphas_ eat first.

“Kasshoku, could you please go get Souta for me? He is taking a nap in our room.”

After hearing a confirming huff from the large dog Miko smiled. At least some people could follow directions, and he was the dog!

Miko was placing the food in the middle of the table when Gaku made it to the doorway.

It seemed that Gaku was victorious in separating Naruto and Kagome. Both were wrapped in rope and placed on the floor at the low rise table. Tension could be seen in the glare they were throwing each other. Gaku sighed and rubbed the back of his neck in exhaustion. When he married Miko he knew Kagome was a package deal, just didn’t expect Naruto to be part of Kagome's package. _Speaking of package…_

Gaku stood up and made his way to the most precious person in his life. Miko was just so irresistible when she was playing house wife. As he grabbed Miko around her waist and pulled her back to his chest he wondered how he got so lucky with her. 

“Oh wondrous wife! Mother of my children! How can I, your strong husband, assist in this feast?”

Miko giggled and blushed like a school girl. Both children at the table gagged at the display that was common in their household. Kagome actually enjoyed watching her mother acting happy with her step-father but couldn’t resist in expressing fake disgust to tease them.

Clan Head Tsume had declared “any lovey-dovey expressed by these two had to be met with repulsion or else it would spread to the rest of the Clan.” Kagome secretly thinks Tsume was a tiny bit jealous but Kagome would never be caught saying anything out loud.

“Dear! Not in front of the children!”

“Believe it! Our poor eyes hurt every time you kiss in front of us, bleh!” Gaku threw a glare over his shoulder at the blonde brat. Naruto quickly shut his mouth and looked away. Kagome tried to hide her laugh as Kasshoku slowly walked in with a sleepy 3 year old Souta on his back, riding Kasshoku like a horse.

“And look who is joining the party! How is my big man doing after his nap?” Gaku grabbed the last of the dishware and brought it to the table. Once everything was set, Gaku went to his ninken and lifted his son in the air, settling Souta on his hip before patting Kasshoku on the head. Kasshoku allowed a couple more pats before he decided he needed a reward and went to his food bowls in the corner of the dining room. 

Gaku released Kagome and Naruto from their binds so that they could grab their plates and begin serving themselves.

Dinner like always was loud and full of fun. Souta fully woke up after a while and went to his favorite spot at the table, right between his Dad and Kagome. Miko would act as if she was upset at the favoritism at times but she was over joyed to see her family together.

Miko looked to her right and patted Naruto on his head when she saw the sad look slowly enter his eyes. He was part of their family too, and if Kagome and Naruto could make it through puberty, fingers crossed, they would give her BEAUTIFUL grandbabies!

Throughout dinner, Naruto made sure to use the skills he learned in the Academy to sneak more of Kagome’s favorite food on to her plate when she was distracted. He felt bad that he had upset her earlier.

Gaku just watched and did not show he knew what Naruto was doing. Oh the update on Kago/ruto gossip he would give Miko tonight!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to take my stories from 2007 and revamp them. I have the account over on Ff.net under Revellie if you want to cringe with me. Or compare the growth, both are good.


	3. New to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things are just destined to be...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in here or the plot. The situation is my idea or something like that….

* * *

Kiba knew he was the greatest.

He was the heir to the Inuzuka clan, had THE best ninken for his partner, and knew everything there was to be about a Ninja. Being so awesome meant that he was always bored at the Academy. _Sitting behind a desk was just so boooring_ … So a bored Kiba had to find something to entertain himself.

He wasn’t bored when he would hang out at the park instead of going to class. Having Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto there to keep the fun going was a plus. He didn’t mind Shikamaru and Choji, they were ok in his book. While no one would take the title of Best Friend from Akamaru, Naruto could be an _almost_ rival for that name.

They both lived in the same direction and when the gang actually attended class and finish the day, Kiba and Naruto would get into all kinds of trouble on the way home. His mom couldn't get mad about not “coming straight home”…there was just tiny, itsy bitsy detours. But graduation was slowly coming around the corner and his mom told him that he had to get serious. He had to admit some of his classmates were catching up and he couldn’t goof off like before. The sense of seriousness came to him one day after class when he saw how Naruto had struggled with a simple clone jutsu. There was just no way Kiba was going to slack off and look as pathetic as that.

So slowly but surely, Kiba stopped hanging out with everyone. He started running straight home with Akamaru so he wouldn’t have to walk with Naruto. The extra time he had now, he used to get extra lessons on clan secret techniques. Eventually Naruto got the idea and stopped looking for him. It wasn’t anything personal, Kiba just had standards to live up to. What Kiba didn’t realize was that for all of his confidence in his inherited abilities and arrogance, he had failed to apply one of the top rules of Ninja life: **_be aware of your surroundings_**.

In all the years of being Naruto's friend, Kiba never knew where exactly Naruto lived. Until today that is.

Naruto didn’t just live in the _same direction_ , he lived in the _Clan compound_!

Well not in, in, more like the outskirts but that is besides the point.

At first when Kiba would catch the faint smell of the spirited blonde when he was home, he thought that he was hanging out with Naruto too much.

But then here he was, the one day Kiba had decided to stroll the Inuzuka district to familiarize Akamaru to their territory, watching his class's dead last leave the local ramen shop.

“This place is ok, but nothing tops old man's ramen shop!” Naruto let out a burp as he rubbed his extended stomach.

“Naruto, you are lucky I get paid enough to feed you AND everyone else.” Gaku, the Inuzuka Breeder Specialist was rubbing the back of his head as he hung his head in amazement.

“Don’t worry! Once I become the Hokage you and Kunloon will have nothing to worry about! Believe it!”

“Oh? Is that a promise to marry Kagome? Taking care of your in-laws? So bold of you to assume I will give you permission,” Gaku failed to hide his smirk at the shade of red Naruto's checks turned.

_What the hell?!_

Kiba could not believe what he was seeing and decided to follow them. He trailed them to the outskirts of the clan territory, close to the old ruins of Konoha. Gaku and Naruto had continued with their conversation as they arrived to what Kiba can only assume was Naruto's apartment.

Just as Naruto reached for the door knob, Gaku warned him, “You better have your place cleaned before tomorrow, you know Kunloon is going to stop by and check on her plants that she gave you.”

Naruto visibly flinched. “Yeah ok, my place is never a mess,” the pre-teen tried to cover up.

Just as Gaku was about to go into his infamous Dad-quality-lecture, the apartment door swung open to reveal Gaku's precious step-daughter Kagome covered in dirt smudges and holding two huge trash bags.

Kiba felt his heart give a _**thump thump.**_

No matter how she looked to everyone else right now, to Kiba, she was the most beautiful angel he had ever seen.

“I think Momma's visits have to be every other day. Anymore and Naruto's place is going to grow its own Hidden Village in it,” Kagome shot the blonde a disgusted look. Kiba felt his heart skip a beat at the cute way her nose scrunched up.

Naruto felt like dying then and there. “Did you touch my room?!”

Kiba and Gaku both winced in disgust at what his room could be like if Kagome was this dirty and bag after bag was taken out of the apartment. “Naruto, no amount of money or begging will ever make me go into your room. That is going to be between you and Momma. You are lucky I care about you to even come over and clean so that you can focus on your finals. If Momma sees your room, you might as well forget about being Hokage. She will kill you.”

Akamaru started getting restless under Kiba's hoodie. They had done their job and tracked down the fox-boy, time for food!

As Naruto and the beautiful girl continued their banter, Kiba decided to leave and regroup himself. It didn’t look like they were romantic so Kiba did not feel threatened in having Naruto as a rival in her affection. Kiba just had to wait till he graduated and come back as an adult and badass Ninja so she would definitely be impressed by him!

Gaku noticed when the Inuzuka heir left his spy perch and hid his laugh from the two preteens arguing in front of him. Was Kiba finally breaking out of his self-center world to finally acknowledge Naruto's presence? It only took Kiba four years to find out Naruto lived within Inuzuka lands.

Tsume was gracious enough to let the jinchuuriki live close to Gaku and his wife, and with her blessing, allowed Kagome to take the surname Inuzuka. Besides the fact that she held the title of Head of the clan, that earned the utmost loyalty from him and Kunloon.

That said, he was not going to be the one to tell her that her son just found Naruto's residence. Not even if she now owes him a month worth of vacation for winning their bet.

* * *

It was finally the weekend and Kagome was so happy to finally go on her weekly walk around Konoha.

Usually she would have someone else with her on these walks but everyone was busy today. Gaku was doing his best to teach Naruto the clone jutsu but his chakra control was worse than her’s when she first began her weekly ritual. Her mom was at Naruto's place doing a sanitation check before she went to visit the Hyuuga clan. Apparently the Higurashi clan had descended from the Hyuuga long ago and were trying to get Kagome to marry back into the family. Kagome scrunched her nose at the thought.

_I'm eleven, boys are gross!_

Then again, Naruto did not represent the boy gender as a whole…better safe than sorry.

Since Kagome was one of the few children that wanted to do something other than be a Ninja when she grew up, she did not have many friends. Those that went to regular school with her were all the kids that had shriveled or non-existent chakra paths. If they found out she still had Ninja potential, it would be social suicide and she would be forced to be homeschooled. No thank you. Social distance was best for her during these formative years.

Not training to be a ninja also meant she had no one to hang out with while Naruto was training.

Kagome hunched over with a sigh as she walked along the perimeter of the village. It wasn't that she was lonely per say but being in a house full of guys was tiresome. She wanted to have girls to talk to that were not her mom. Someone to let her frustration out when it came to matters of the heart.

Like that one time Kagome over heard a couple of the older Jounin girls cry over someone named Itachi. They were trying to be quiet and avoid being overheard, but because Gaku was teaching Kagome how to hide and be silent in case of an invasion, Kagome was able to sneak up on them. They were crying about such a waste of potential, _how if only he gave them a chance, he would be too relaxed to think about anything else but create a BETTER clan with her_.

Whatever _that_ meant.

Point was, they had each other to talk about boy stuff and things she could never ask her mom. The only clues that gave Kagome an understanding as to what they were talking about something dirty was the blushes on their faces and they were clutching the latest Icha Icha Paradise book. Kunloon absolutely banned that book from their home. Gaku brought it one day and Kagome had to grab Souta and hang out with Naruto at his place next building over for the rest of the day.

“Such filth should never be around my babies,” as her mother put it.

Since that day, Kagome never went to her mom about boy stuff. Which was hard because she needed answers to her feelings about Naruto. Yeah Naruto was disgusting but he would definitely make her feel warm some times. The few times he got serious and actually had something smart to say made her feel something in her chest.

Then there was the one time that Gaku and Kunloon were having a “date day" and Kasshou and Kagome were in charge of Souta on Kagome's weekly walk around Konoha. Naruto had joined them and to entertain Souta, decided to carry her 4 year old brother on his back.

They were almost back to the Inuzuka district when out of no where Kasshou had blocked a jaded rock that was meant to hit Naruto.

Kasshou instantly got on the defensive, blood dripping from his wound, facing three grown men that were snickering and pointing. Naruto jumped in front of Kagome, Souta’s back pressed to Kagome's front. Naruto had reached back to grab Kagome's hands and take Souta from him.

He had looked back at her and the look in his eyes were forever burned into her memory.

His eyes reminded her of Gaku's when he practiced his Four Legs Technique. There was a beast in Naruto's eyes and it was ready to protect her and Souta. Kagome could not stop the blush rush to her cheek or feel oh so warm on where Naruto was holding her hands, even in the middle of the dangerous situation.

Luckily before Naruto began his plan of action, some of then clans men were walking by when they recognized Kasshou and came to their rescue.

That incident seemed to have lit a fire in Naruto like never before.

All the way till this morning as he went to take his final at the Academy, Kagome saw the seriousness that was such a threat to her poor heart. _Oh well, I will think about it later._

Kagome shook off the memory of Naruto’s hands on hers and raised her royal-blue eyes to the sky as she continued on her walk. She slowly let her thoughts go to her Momma and Souta.

_Wonder what the Hyuuga's were telling her mother now…_

**P-p-p-pop!**

_Has my back never been this straight?!_

Kagome let out a groan of pain as she realized she was still staring at the sky but from the floor instead of on her feet. “I never want to go on that ride again.”

Kagome slowly brought her hands up to cradle the back of her head and the spot where her neck met her shoulders. She heard of chiropractors that could realign a person's spine but she could bet big money that they would never pop her back like _that_!

“SHIT! Are you ok? I didn’t paralyze you did I?!” The rough panicky voice made Kagome shift her eyes and look at whom she can only assume was the cause of her jaw and back pain. She was going to apologize and admit it was her fault for not paying attention, however she never expected to be met with the most gorgeous golden eyes she had ever seen in her lifetime.

“I bet the sun is jealous of your eyes…” The boy flushed as red as his haori. His dark haired friend busted in fits of laughter at her unintended pick up line. “I thought I had bad one liners!”

Their female companion quickly went to Kagome's side and helped her slowly sit up. “I’m sorry about Inuyasha, he was too excited about completing our mission that the idiot, “ she glared over Kagome's head at the silver haired boy, “forgot that other people are walking around him.” She gave Kagome an apologetic smile. “I’m Sango by the way

“Oh no it is ok! He may have just helped me realign my back,” the purple-hoari wearing genin wheezed while both his partners threw him a glare, “so I may have needed that, ha ha!”

Inuyasha pouted and leaned forward to offer his hand to Kagome. She stopped her nervous giggle and took his hand to stand up. “Well as late as this is, my name is Kagome.”

Inuyasha bashfully looked away as he helped her get back on her feet, “Name’s Inuyasha, I'm sorry about your jaw. I know how you girls are sensitive about your faces. So…sorry…again”

“I’m Miroku,” the gennin glided from his spot and took her hand from Inuyasha and kneeled before her, “The ninja life is oh so cruel, please bare my children.”

Kagome's face exploded into the biggest blush she had ever felt, even bigger than the one time with Naruto! She quickly took her hand from him and turned away, trying to hide her red facing with both her hands. On the other hand, Sango and Inuyasha were not forgiving and did not hold back on Miroku's punishment. His prone body twitched in unconscious pain on the floor as the swelling on his head slowly grew.

“I’m sorry Kagome, I’m still training these two idiots on how to treat women,” Sango threw a glare at Inuyasha that had even Kagome shifting in fear, “You are going to walk with her and be her slave for the rest of the day! I find out you mistreated her and this three man squad will turn into a two man squad, you understand me?!”

Inuyasha swallowed the lump of fear in his throat, “Yes ma'am.”

Sango gave him a look that promised pain before turning a 180 degree in personality and gave Kagome a stunning smile. “It was nice meeting you, if Inuyasha gives you any trouble just yell Sit," the necklace around Inuyasha's neck glowed before he let out a yelp of pain as his face met the ground, “while holding this scroll and he should begin behaving.” Sango handed Kagome a plain scroll that had released the same light as Inuyasha's necklace. Sango then turned around and heaved the dead weight of Miroku on her shoulder. “I will be at the Ichiraku Ramen shop for dinner tonight, meet me there ok?”

Kagome barely nodded her head before Sango began her journey of dumping off Miroku at his home. Sango felt like the mother in the squad and sometimes felt like letting them fend for themselves but she needed them for missions. So Sango always had to be creative in her punishments. Miroku's was going to start tomorrow until it was time for their next mission.

Inuyasha slowly stood up, wiping away the dirt from his face and clothes, as he could only shiver from the malicious aura coming from the departing kunoichi. “Well, you heard the lady, where are we headed to?”

Kagome turned to face him as she placed the scroll into her shoulder bag. “I walk around the outer edges of Konoha every Saturday. I'm half way thru right now and normally I’m a 20 minute walk from Ichiraku at the end of my walk.” Kagome shifted her bag back in place as she faced the path ahead of her.

She glanced at Inuyasha from the side of her eyes. “You don’t have to be with me the whole time, we could meet up the at the entrance of the Inuzuka compound in 4 hours.”

“Feh, and have Sango on my ass about taking advantage of you?!” Inuyasha scoffed as he crossed his arms and tucked his hands into his red haori sleeves. “Just keep walking and I will follow. Plus, can’t have you walk around with that scroll anyways. Sango is too nice and trusting.”

Kagome could only sigh at her new grumbling companion as she continued her walk. She just wanted some alone time, a break from gossipy clan members and the Who-can-scream-the-loudest competition Souta and Naruto were having recently. She was prepared for one of the most painful Saturday walks in the history of her weekly ritual. What she did not expect was for the walk to be a great bonding moment between her and the silver-haired ninja. Telling each other's interest and finding common ground on their likeness for canine ninken to pass the time.

...

....

She did not expect as she sat in one of Ichiraku's booths, laughing out loud, barely close to becoming an ugly snorting laugh, at one of the stories Sango was telling her over their half finished ramen about the squad's latest “having to go in and save Inuyasha from falling into an obvious trap", to have her first doomed-to-be crush on the brash genin that had decided to join the girls in getting ramen to plant its seed into her heart.


End file.
